THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA.
Although Africa may well be considered the home of the black man, yet we
must not fail, in considering the people of the dark continent, to refer
to the annals of history for many interesting facts about them.
From the days of the remotest antiquity, two Asiatic branches of the
human family extended their area southwest into Africa. The emigrants
called Hamites, peopled Egypt, Libya, and Numidia. They furnished us
with the earliest annals of history; for they invented the hieroglyphics
and the arts for which Egypt was celebrated. Their successors, the
Semites, who followed them from Asia, spread all over the northern and
eastern sections of the continent. Followers of Mohammed, they carried
his faith with them in their journeying and laid the foundation of the
Mohammedan religion as we find it in the sections along the
Mediterranean Sea. As Arab traders they have extended their journeys
into the very heart of the continent to carry on the traffic of ivory
and slaves.
The black race is native to Africa. It is divided into three great
branches, each of which is divided into numerous tribes and again
subdivided into kingdoms.
The _negroes_, or true blacks, are native to Central Africa. They
inhabit the great coasts of Guinea and Senegambia in West Africa, and
also the great tract of country which extends eastward through the
Soudan, the "Land of the Blacks," to the valley of the Nile. Most of the
freed men of the United States are descendants of the negroes of the
Guinea coast, who, having been captured as slaves, were shipped across
the sea to America and sold into bondage.
The _negroid_ branch of the African race is doubtless of mixed ancestry,
descended from the true negro and from the white race inhabiting North
and East Africa. It is a well-marked branch, showing plainly the mixed
ancestry of the people. The various tribes occupy Nubia, the high grassy
plains of East Central Africa, which include the lake region and the
basin of the Upper Nile, and the vast territory which contains the
watersheds of the mighty Congo and Zambesi Rivers. The various tribes
known as Kaffirs, Zulus, Bechuanas, and the many tribes of Bantu in the
south of Africa all belong to the _negroid_ branch.
A third branch, the _negrillos_, or dwarfs, are a people of small
stature. Some of the tribes are found in the thick forests that lie
along the northern side of the Congo River. In South Africa we find them
represented by the Bushmen, one of the lowest grades of the human
family, occupying the land bordering on the Kalahari Desert. The
Hottentots are somewhat larger in stature and of a higher order of
intelligence. They very likely are of a mixed ancestry, having descended
from a mingling of the Bushmen and some of the tribes of the _negroid_
branch in this region.
Notwithstanding that there are but three branches of the native people
of Africa, yet owing to their division into numberless tribes, each
bearing its own special name, almost as much difficulty is found in
tracing their origin as in trying to discover the source of any of the
great rivers from their various tributaries which form a network over
the country.
We shall later in our reading obtain some knowledge of the Moorish
pirates who infested the Mediterranean Sea and who had their
headquarters at Algiers.
It is due to the French nation that since 1830 the magnificent port of
Algiers has been open to all the fleets of the world, and the coast of
the Mediterranean, freed from pirates, has been accessible to all the
navies of the world, should they choose to occupy it.
The attention of the French is now turned toward ridding the great sea
of sand which extends between Northern Africa and Central Soudan from
the fierce Tuaregs that still occupy it. They are a race as wild and
barbarous--yes, as lawless--as were ever the terrible pirates of the
Mediterranean Sea. They may be termed the brigands of the desert.
They roam over the vast region between Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, and
Tripoli in the north, and Lake Tchad in the south. Mounted upon racing
camels, they go upon raiding expeditions and seek the oases, with which
the great desert is strewn, for refuge and to replenish their stores.
Until recently these mysterious Sahara tribes have seemed determined to
bar the road to their territory against all white men.
Who are the Tuaregs? From whence came they? It is believed that they are
remnants of the Berber tribes of Northern Africa, who occupied the
Libyan Desert. The Romans and other nations, together with the Arabs,
from time to time drove them back into the great desert.
The raid and conquest of the Arabs was fierce and bitter. Some of these
Berber tribes had been Christians for six centuries and had formed the
flourishing African church to which St. Augustine belonged and did not
readily forsake their faith to adopt that of Mohammed. In consequence
their land was confiscated and their olive orchards burned. Early in the
ninth century this work of persecution began, and for two hundred years
these people had been crowded back into the desert.
Their homes gone, the migrating Berbers had no way of preserving the
annals of the exodus of their tribes into the wilderness; for they had
no written language, and in the course of time their memory became
dimmed as to their history. They are called Tuaregs by the Arabs,
meaning "those who have renounced."
All memory of their ancient faith has been lost. The Latin cross, which
was its emblem, is found on the hilts of their swords and in the
ornaments on the bridles of their racing camels, but the Tuaregs,
descendants of these ancient Berbers of Christian faith, have no
knowledge of its significance.
The only occupations of these people are their wars and the long
expeditions across the desert. Mounted upon swift camels, they traverse
its vast extent. Their faces, which are concealed by a black veil,
remind one of the mailed knights of the Middle Ages. No one has ever
seen the face of one of these Tuareg warriors uncovered. The Arabs term
them the "Veiled Ones."
The fineness of the texture of the veil with which a Tarki, a native of
one of these tribes, conceals his features is indicative of his social
rank. If of the higher class, he wears his veil night and day. The
strongest proof of friendship he can give is to raise his veil and show
his features while talking to any one.
A Tarki of noble rank wears a high cap of red cloth decorated with large
black tassels. His upper garments consist of a long white shirt bound
about the waist by a broad red scarf, and a sleeveless blouse of some
black material adorned with costly gold and silver embroidery. His lower
garment is a pair of wide white Turkish trousers which reach to the
instep. On his feet lie wears sandals made of goat skin. On his chest
are small leather bags or metal cases; these contain amulets, generally
large emeralds, of which rich deposits are found in the Sahara. Woven
bands of leather fasten these bags or cases to his neck.
For weapons the Tarki carries a short dagger and a well-sharpened saber.
These are fastened to his arm by a copper bracelet. The hilts of these
weapons are always in the form of a Latin cross, and are adorned with
five nails of copper arranged to represent a cross. He wears a
two-handed sword suspended from his neck by a strong cotton cord, ending
in two large tassels.
When out on an expedition the Tuaregs plant their long iron spears,
inlaid with copper, in the ground, whenever they stop for the night or
to rest awhile, and take a squatting position beside them.
Two or three iron javelins carefully sharpened are always fastened to
the back or pommel of the saddle of a noble Tarki. These he can hurl to
a great distance with considerable skill. As a means of defense he
carries an oblong shield made of antelope skin and large enough to cover
his whole person. Firearms he scorns to use.
In appearance the Tuaregs are tall, slender, and well formed. In
disposition they are grave, silent, impassive, and affect an
indifference to their surroundings. In character they are proud,
cunning, quarrelsome, and tenacious. They are very excitable, brave, and
enduring, and no privation nor fatigue can dishearten them. In their
intercourse with others their hatred knows no pity, their vengeance no
mercy.
They are the terror of the caravans that cross the desert, where every
living being is an enemy. Whenever a solitary man appears on the dim
horizon, the caravan makes ready for battle. It never thinks of
approaching a well without sending out an advance guard to see if it is
safe to proceed.
In attacking a caravan the Tuaregs first send out scouts in advance.
These men are not armed, and under pretense of seeking food or by
offering their services as guides, try to mingle with the caravan. Their
object is to lead it to wells near which they know their warriors are
lying in wait hidden behind sand hills.
Night is the time usually chosen for an onslaught, and generally at
watering places a long distance apart. It is the custom for a caravan to
stop several days at a well to allow the camels an opportunity to graze.
A herd may thus be a long way from the main part of the caravan, and it
is at such a time, when the forces are divided, that the Tuaregs usually
make an attack.
In their rough life and hard struggle for existence they have become
veritable outcasts. They are Mohammedans in name only, and do not repeat
the five daily prayers with their faces turned toward Mecca; neither do
they take their daily ablutions in the sand, as the prophet required.
They use the Koran only when taking an oath, and are very faithful in
keeping their pledges.
A curious custom, not unlike that which existed in the Middle Ages
between the warrior knights and the religious orders, prevails; for the
nobles leave the duty of praying to the tribes that form the middle
classes. These tribes were formerly noble, but are now in a half-servile
condition. They are excluded from certain privileges enjoyed by the
warriors, to whom they pay heavy tribute in cattle, slaves, and dates.
Aside from this they enjoy perfect freedom.
The old men, the women, the children, and the slaves live in stone
houses in villages and till the fields which surround them. Their lords
dwell under leather tents and move from place to place, when necessary,
to find fresh pasturage.
Should the French nation succeed in subjugating these brigand tribes of
the Sahara, commerce in the desert will be as safe as that upon the sea.
There are two great branches of the African people, the Somal and Galla
tribes, that occupy a large portion of Eastern Africa lying south and
east of Abyssinia. These tribes are entirely distinct from the negro.
The Somal tribes occupy the country described as the great eastern horn
of Africa, which terminates at Cape Guardafui.
Only a small portion of the country is known to Europeans. On the north
it consists of a table-land, diversified by rugged cliffs as it
approaches the coast, and by a wide maritime plain as it retreats from
it. Inland this table-land stretches away towards the south in immense
grassy plains. Great herds of gazelles, zebras, and antelopes roam over
them; and the ostrich, giraffe, and elephant are found in large numbers.
The central section is famed as a grazing land for camels, ponies, cows,
and fat-tailed sheep.
The numerous Somal tribes, through mingling with the Arabs, have become
Mohammedan fanatics. They speak a mixed language, have tall, slight,
agile figures, and in color they are slightly darker than the Arabs.
They have lips and noses almost Grecian in character, but woolly hair
like the negro.
The Galla tribes occupy the immense tract of country, nine hundred
miles from north to south, lying south of Abyssinia in the maritime
region of East Africa. Somaliland is the eastern limit. Lake Rudolph is
probably its western limit, though it may have an extension to the
northwest.
The country is, for the most part, unexplored. It consist of a
moderately elevated plateau, dotted with isolated mountain groups and
affords ample pasturage for cattle, camels, and horses.
The Galla tribes are a tall, finely formed people, who have bright,
expressive eyes, and a deep brown complexion. The tribes of the various
sections differ widely in their characteristics. Those occupying the
southern borders of Abyssinia are brave warriors and keen traders. They
are either Mohammedans or professed followers of the Christianity of
Abyssinia. The southern Galla tribes are all heathen.
Just southwest of the Galla country, between the snowy peaks of Kenia
and Kilimanjaro and the eastern shores of Victoria Nyanza, is a wide
plateau section. This is occupied by warlike nomads. They are feared all
along the maritime region, for they plunder the Arab caravans which make
their way inland towards the lake region in their journey from the
coast. The coast tribes live in constant fear of these marauders and are
always on the alert against their attacks.
The Portuguese claim all the coast line of southeast Africa from a point
near Cape Delgado, for a distance of fourteen hundred miles southward to
Delagoa Bay. This possession is know as the Province of Mozambique, and
is under the control of a governor appointed by the Crown of Portugal.
He is aided by a small military force, mostly Portuguese convicts, and
has almost unlimited authority in controlling the affairs of the
settlements. The points along the coast actually occupied by the
Portuguese are few and isolated.
On the mainland of East Africa we find a narrow maritime belt, ten miles
in width, extending from the Rovuma to Ozi River. This is under the
dominion of the Sultan of Zanzibar. Arrangements were made in 1888 and
1889 in which this coast line was to be governed by two companies, the
one English, the other German.
Very recently the British East Africa Company made a formal transfer of
all its territory to Great Britain. By the terms of the transaction the
company surrendered its royal charter in return for the payment of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. England has thus secured an immense
tract of territory, a million square miles, for a comparatively small
sum.
The territory over which the British Government will now assume control
extends about four hundred miles along the coast northward from Umba,
situated at the mouth of a river of the same name. The southern boundary
line runs in a northwest direction to the intersection of the Victoria
Nyanza with the first parallel of north latitude. It skirts the northern
shore of the lake and extends westward as far as the boundary line of
the Congo Free State.
Its northern boundary begins at the River Juba. This boundary line
extends from the intersection of the river with the sixth parallel,
north latitude, to the thirty-fifth meridian, east longitude, which it
follows to its point of intersection with the Blue Nile. The Congo Free
State and the western watershed of the basin of the Upper Nile form the
western boundary line.
Now that England has come into possession of so much East African
territory, we may expect to receive much interesting information about
the natives, as their land becomes open to civilization and commerce. A
large part of East Africa must now become known to the world, and many
improvements are to be looked for. A railway of six hundred and
fifty-seven miles in length has at this early date been planned from
Mombassa to Lake Nyanza. No doubt this will in time affect the great
caravan routes into the interior.
At present the most frequented routes lead in several parallel lines
from two coast towns opposite the Island of Zanzibar, extending up
through the countries of Usagara and the dry plains of Ugogo to an Arab
settlement in Unyamwezi, at a distance of five hundred miles from the
coast. From here several routes lead northward to the countries
surrounding Victoria Nyanza. The main line, however, passes westward to
an Arab station in the country of Ujiji on the shores of Lake
Tanganyika.
By means of a ferry across this wide lake the Arabs have extended their
trade routes still farther west into the central country of Manyema.
Here they have an important trading station on the great Lualaba, or
Congo, in the very heart of Africa, fully one thousand miles west of
Zanzibar.